Apparatus for trimming conductors and inserting trimmed conductors into connecting devices

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for trimming each of a plurality of conductors and inserting the trimmed conductors into contact terminals in a connector or the like comprises a press having connector jig means on its platen for locating the connector. A conductor locating jig is removably mounted on a connector mounted on the platen and has a shearing edge means extending along one side thereof. An inserting member mounted on the press ram has shearing edge means for cooperation with the shearing edge means on the conductor jig and has inserting punches for pushing the trimmed conductors into the contact terminals.

nu 3,864,802 [451 Feb. 11,1975

United States Patent 1 Tucci l l APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING CONDUCTORS AND INSERTING TRIMMED CONDUCTORS INTO CONNECTING DEVICES Inventor:

Primary E.raminer-Thomas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or FirmF. W. Rating; J. L. Seitchik; W. .l. Keating John James Tucci, Winston Salem, NC.

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Feb. 15, 1974 Appl. No.: 442,958

[22] Filed:

the connector. A conductor locating jig is removably mounted on a connector mounted on the platen and has a shearing edge means extending along one side [52] US. 29/203 MW [51] Int. Cl. II0lr 43/00, HOSk 13/06 [58] Field of Search 29/203 203 2 5302"; thereof. An inserting member mounted on the press ram has shearing edge means for cooperation with the shearing edge means on the conductor jig and has in- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS serting punches for pushing the trimmed conductors into the contact terminals.

3,758,935 9/1973 Long et al. 29/203 MW 3800 390 4/1974 Johnston 29/203 MW 9 9 D'awmg F'gmes PATENTED FEB! 1 i975 sum 1 or s PATENTED FEB] 1 I975 SHEET 2 BF 6 Pmminrw H815 3, 864,802

SHEET 11, 0F 6 FIG. 5

FIG.

APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING CONDUCTORS AND INSERTING TRIMMED CONDUCTORS INTO CONNECTING DEVICES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for inserting and trimming conductors and inserting the trimmed conductors into electrical contact terminals contained in an insulating housing such as the housing of a multicontact electrical connector. The invention disclosed herein incorporates many of the features of the trimming and inserting apparatus shown in US. Pat. No. 3,758,935.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,935 discloses and claims an ap' paratus which is capable of trimming the ends of a plurality of electrical conductors and substantially simultaneously inserting the trimmed conductors into electrical contact terminals which are contained in an insulating housing. In accordance with the general teachings of this prior art patent, the connector of other housing is mounted in a connector jig and the wires are positioned in side-by-side parallel relationship in a wire jig which is movable to a position beside the connectorjig. The wires are trimmed by means of a fixed shearing edge on the connector jig and a second or movable shearing edge on the insertion means; as the insertion means moves past wires positioned in the conductor jig, the movable shearing edge travels past the fixed shearing edge to trim the wires and substantially simultaneously, the inserting punches in the insertion means push the trimmed conductors into the terminals. Application Ser. No. 354,028, now US. Pat. No. 3,816,897 and Application Ser. No. 332,537, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,390 further developments of the general teaching of US. Pat. No. 3,758,935.

The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,935 has received wide acceptance in the electrical industry and has proved to be highly successful under a variety of working conditions.

The instant invention is specifically directed to the achievement of trimming and inserting apparatus which is advantageous under certain circumstances where wires are to be trimmed and inserted in accordance with the teachings of the above-identified U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,935. Specifically, the instant invention is directed to the achievement of an apparatus capable of trimming and inserting a larger number of conductors and/or heavier gage conductors than was practical with the apparatus shown in the above-identified patents. The instant apparatus has certain other advantages as will be described below as regards simplicity of conduction and versatility and the type or size of connector with which it can be used.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved conductor trimming and inserting apparatus. A further object is to provide an apparatus which is capable of trimming and inserting a relatively large These and other objects of the invention are achieved detail below, and which is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred form of apparatus in accordance with the invention, this view showing the positions of the parts immediately prior to trimming and inserting conductors into contact terminals in one row of a two row electrical connector.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the connectorjig plate, an electrical connector, and a conductor positioning and trimming jig in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 again showing the positions of the parts prior to trimming and inserting the conductors.

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the lines 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing portions of an electrical connector, a conductor positioning and trimming jig, and the lower portion of the insertion tooling, this view showing the positions of the parts prior to trimming and inserting the conductors.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing the positions of the parts after the trimming and inserting operations have been carried out.

FIG. 7 is a perspective fragmentary exploded view of an electrical connector of the type previously illustrated and showing an individual contact terminal exploded from the connector housing.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating the manner of connecting conductors to the second row of a two row electrical connector.

FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of the conductor positioning and trimming jig shown in FIG. 2.

Referring first to FIG. 7, the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention is adapted to trim conductors in the form of wires 2 and insert the trimmed conductors into the conductor receiving portions 4 of electrical contact terminals 6 which are contained in a connector 8. The connector comprises an insulating housing 10 having a mating face 12, a rearward face or side 14, and a radially extending flange 32. The contact terminals each comprise a contact portion 20, an intermediate portion 22 and a previously identified conductor receiving portions 4, which comprise a pair of plate like members 24, 26 which are connected to each other by spaced apart connecting straps 28. The plate-like members 24, 26 have conductor receiving slots 30, the width of these slots being such that when a wire is being moved laterally of its axis into the slots, the edges of the slots will penetrate the insulation of the wire and establish electrical contact with the conducting core thereof.

The connector housing 10 has a central rib 18 extending from its rearward side and contact receiving cavities extend through the housing from the upper and lower sides of the rib so that the connector has two parallel rows of terminals which are adapted to receive wires from opposite directions. The terminals extend through the cavities l6 and into a trough-like recess 17 on the mating face 12 which is adapted to receive a complementary male connector. The individual contact terminals 6 are separated from each other on the upper and lower sides of the rib 18. The terminals in each row are separated by parallel barriers 34 which are spaced from a rearwardly facing surface 36 of the rearward face. At the ends of each row of barriers 34, a projecting ear 38 is provided which serves to protect the terminals in the row and which is used to position the connector housing on a connector jig plate which is described below.

Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the disclosed embodiment comprises a conventional arbor press having a press frame 40 consisting of a head 42, a neck portion 44 and a base 46. A reciprocable ram 48 is mounted in the head 42 and has trimming and inserting tooling mounted on its lower end as will be described below.

A connector jig plate 50 is precisely mounted and located on the platen 46 and has an upper surface 50 across which there extends a relatively low rib 54. Notches 57 are provided in the rib 54 which locations corresponding to the locations of the ears 38 at the ends of the rows of barriers 34. The connector housing is positioned on the jig plate by moving it relatively downwardly from the position of FIG. 2 so that the ears 38 which are on the underside of the housing enter the notches 57 and the surface 36 of the housing is located snugly against the rightwardly facing (as viewed in FIG. 2) side 55 of the rib 54. When the connector is so located on the surface 51 it will be precisely positioned with respect to the insertion and cutting tools on the ram 48 as will be described below.

The wires are located with reference to the contact terminals in the connector by means ofa wire positioning and trimming jig 56 comprising a pair of rectangular end blocks 58 connected to each other by side members 60, 62. This jig has oppositely directed faces, the upwardly directed face serving as a wire-receiving face as is apparent from FIG. 1. The side member 60 is in the form of a relatively thin bar of hard metal and is secured to the rightwardly facing surfaces 64 of the end blocks. A plurality of spaced apart slots 66 extend inwardly from the upper side of the bar 60, the spacing between adjacent slots being equal to the spacing between adjacent contact terminals 6 in the connector 8 and the width of the slots being sufficient to receive the conductors 2. As best shown in FIGS. and 6, the inner ends of the slots have sharp edges and the leftwardly facing edge 68 of each slot serves as a shearing edge for cooperation with a movable shearing means on the insertion tooling.

The side member 62 is in the form ofa molded plastic part having integral mounting blocks 63 at its ends and having a rectangular bar-like section 72 extending between these mounting blocks. On the upper side of this bar-like section, a plurality of barrier members or plates 74 are provided which define spaced apart recesses which are in alignment with the slots 66 so that a wire placed in a corresponding recess and slot 66 will span the central opening 67 in the conductor jig member. As best shown in FIG. 5, the barriers 74 extend leftwardly beyond the bar member 72 for a substantial distance so .that a significant section of each conductor 2 will be confined and the portion of the conductor which extends across the opening 67 will be accurately located on the jig member 56. Side member 62 is removably secured to the end blocks 58 of this jig by means of pins 78 which extend from the end blocksSS and into holes in the end block sections 63 of the side member 62. As will be explained below, this feature facilitates the operation of connecting conductors to the second row of terminals in the connector after wires have been connected to the first row of terminals.

An additional wire positioning member 93 is mounted on the righthand edge of the jig plate 50 and is similar to the positioning side member'62 of the conductor positioning jig 56 in that it has an elongated bar section 94 on the upper end of which are provided spaced apart barriers 96 which define recesses for the wires. This additional wire positioning member is not essential but it is desirable when a substantial length of wire extends past a conductor positioning jig 56 in that it serves to separate the ends of the wires and facilitates inspection of the wires after they have been placed in thejig 56 and prior to their being trimmed and inserted.

The insertion tooling comprises a tool mounting block 80 secured to the ram 48 and a tool block 82 which is mounted against the side of the block 80 by a suitable fasteners 84. The lower end of block 82 has parallel spaced apart flanges 86, 88 which define a central recess, the width of which is slightly greater than the distance between the plate sections 24, 26 of an individual contact terminal 6. A plurality of insertion punches are mounted in the tool block 82 between the flanges 86, 88 in spaced-apart relationship corresponding to the positions of the terminals in the connector. The punches 90 are dimensioned to fit between the connecting straps 28 of the conductor receiving portions 4 and push a trimmed section of conductor into a terminal. It will be noted from FIG. 5 that the outside edge 89 of the flange 86 is relatively sharp. This edge cooperates with the edges 68 at the inner ends of the slots 66 to shear the wires as will be described below.

In use, and when wires are to be connected to the contact terminals in bothof the two rows of terminals in a connector, the connector 8 is first positioned on the connector jig 50 by moving it downwardly from the position of FIG. 2 so that the cars 38 enter the notches 57 and the rearward side of the flange 32 (the surface 36) is against the surface 55 of the rib 54 of the connector jig. The wire positioning and trimming jig is then moved downwardly onto the surface 52 and located with the downwardly facing surfaces of the end blocks 58 supported on the upper side 52 of the jig 50 and with the bar 60 disposed between the surface 36 ofthe housing and the rightwardly facing sides or edges of the barrier 34. The width of the opening 67 is dimensioned to receive the ends of the flange 32 of the housing so that the conductor receiving portions of the terminals will be in alignment with the slots 66 and the recesses between the barriers 74. The wires are then positioned as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 in aligned recesses and slots 66 and with the end portions of the wires extending into recesses in the additional positioning comb 92. It will be understood that a wire for each terminal will be positioned in the wire jig and that only a few wires are shown in the drawing in the interest of clarity.

The press ram is then moved downwardly from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6 so that each of the individual wires will be engaged by an insertion punch 90 and moved into the slots 30 in the associated contact terminal. As the wires move past the edges 68, they are sheared and the remaining scrap wire 2', FIG. 6, is left on the trimming bar 60. After the wires have been inserted, FIG. 6, the ram 48 is raised.

The second stage of the process requires that wires be connected to the terminals in the remaining row of terminals. This is done by inverting the connector and positioning it on the jig plate 50 as previously described and as shown in FIG. 8. The previously applied wires 2 will extend leftwardly in FIG. 8 and the wirejig is now positioned on the connector as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 and wires are again located in the wire jig. The process of lowering the ram to trim and insert the wires into the terminals is repeated and the ram is then raised.

It will be apparent from FIG. 8 that after the wires have been connected to the second row of terminals, the conductor trimming and positioning jig 56 is now confined or trapped between the wires connected to the upper and lower rows of terminals in the connector. To remove the wire jig then, it becomes necessary to disassemble the plastic wire positioning side member 62 from the jig by moving it off of the mounting pins 78 as illustrated in FIG. 9. The side member can then he slid from between the two rows of wires as can the end blocks and connecting bar. The jig is then reassembled for the next operation.

An overall advantage of the inserting and trimming apparatus of the invention is the relative simplicity and ruggedness of the apparatus as will be apparent from a review of the drawing Figures. The press can be a conventional arbor press having a rack and pinion actuator. The essential parts thus comprise only the connectorjig plate 50, the conductor trimming and positioning jig 56, and the insertion plate 82. Notwithstanding the simplicity of the apparatus, the conductors 2 can be quickly positioned in the conductor positioning jig and the entire operation of trimming and inserting can be carried out in an extremely brief time period.

A significant structural feature of the apparatus which contributes to its simplicity and robustness is the presence of the fixed shear on the bar 60 which is part of the conductor positioning jig and the fact that this bar 60 serves to locate the conductorjig on the connector when it is positioned between the surface 36 and the barriers 34. This bar 60 thus serves several purposes which required separate parts in prior art apparatus.

An additional advantageous feature is the removability of the conductor positioning member 62 from the conductor positioning jig 56. As explained immediately above, this feature greatly facilitates the operation of connecting wires to the second row of terminals after wires have been connected to the first row of terminals.

The term conductors is used advisedly in this specification in view of the fact that the principles of the invention may be employed in apparatus for inserting conductors other than individual wires into terminals; for example, the conductors in a flat multiconduc'tor cable which conductors may be flat or round.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only.

What is claimed: is:

1. Apparatus for simultaneously trimming each of a plurality of conductors and inserting the trimmed conductors into the conductor-receiving portions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical device such as a multi-contact electrical connector, said apparatus comprising:

press means comprising a press ram and a press platen, said ram being reciprocable along a predetermined path towards and away from said platen,

locating means on said platen for locating said electrical device in a predetermined position with said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals opposed to said ram,

conductor jig means, said jig means having a central opening and having conductor-positioning means on each side of said central opening for poistioning said conductors in parallel spaced-apart relationship at locations corresponding to the locations of said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals in said electrical device, said conductor jig means having fixed shearing edge means extending along ond side of said central opening,

means on said jig means for positioning said jig means on a connector supported on said platen with said fixed shearing means in alignment with said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals, and shearing and inserting means on said ram, said shearing and inserting means comprising a movable shearing edge means cooper-able with said fixed shearing edge means when said ram moves towards said platen to shear and trim said conductors, and insertion punch means on said ram for inserting said conductors, after trimming, into said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals whereby upon positioning said electrical device on said platen, placing said locating means on said electrical device, locating conductors in said jig means, and moving said ram towards said platen, said conductors are trimmed and are moved through said central opening and into said conductor receiving portions of said contact terminals.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and locating means on said platen comprising a jig plate secured on said platen, said plate having a rib extending thereacross and having notches in said rib, said locating means being adapted to have mounted thereon an electrical connector having a radially extending flange which is adapted to be located against said rib and having spaced apart projecting portions which are adapted to be received in said notches.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said conductor jig means comprising a generally rectangular member having a central opening, one side of said member comprising a bar having spaced apart conductor-receiving notches therein, said notches having sharp edges at their inner ends, said notches constituting said positioning means on said one side of said jig means and said edges constituting said fixed shearing means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1,'said conductor jig means comprising a generally rectangular member having a central opening, one side of said member which has said conductor positioning means thereon being removably assembled to said jig means thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig means from between two parallel rows of conductors which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in said electrical device.

5. Apparatus for simultaneously trimming each of a plurality of wires and inserting each of said wires into the wire-receiving slot in an electrical contact terminal contained in a multi-contact electrical connector, each of said contact terminals having a plate-like portions into which said slot extends, said plate-like portions 7 being in 'side-by-side co-planar relationship to each other, said apparatus comprising:

a press having a press ram and a press platen, said ram being reciprocable along a predetermined rectilinear path towards and away from said platen,

connector locating means on said platen for locating said connector on said path and in a predetermined orientation with reference to said ram,

said ram having a plurality of wire insertion punches thereon, each of said punches being in alignment with one of said slots in a terminal contained in a connector mounted on said platen, and said ram having movable shearing edge means extending beside said punches, and

wire positioning jig and fixed shearing means comprising a generally rectangular frame having parallel sides and parallel ends and having oppositely directed faces, one of said faces constituting a wirereceiving face, said frame having a central opening defined by said sides and said ends, said wire receiving face having on each of said sides a plurality of spaced-apart wire-receiving recesses, said reces ses being spaced apart by distances corresponding to the spacing between said wire receiving slots,

one of said sides having fixed shearing edge means for cooperation with said shearing edge on said ram, and

means for positioning said wire positioning jig on said platen and in at least partially surrounding relationship to a connector located in said predetermined position and with said fixed shearing edge means located for cooperation with said movable shearing edge means adjacent to the plane defined by said plate-like members, whereby,

upon movement of said ram along said path towards said platen, said conductors are severed by said fixed and movable shearing means and are moved by said punches through said opening and into said wire receiving slots in said contact terminals in a connector mounted on said platen.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said one side of said wire positioningjig and fixed shearing means comprising a bar having spaced-apart wire-receiving notches therein, said notches having sharp'edges at their inner ends, said notches constituting said wirereceiving recesses and said edges constituting said fixed shearing edge means.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, the side of said wire positioning jig and fixed shearing means which is opposite to said one side being removably assembled to said jig means thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig means from between two parallel rows of wires which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in said electrical device.

8. A wire locating and trimmingjig for locating a plurality of wires in parallel side-by-side relationship preparatory to trimming said wires and inserting said wires into the conductor-receiving portion of electrical contact terminals, said locating and trimming jig comprising:

a frame member having a central opening and having two opposite wire-receiving sides, at least one of said sides constituting shearing edge means for cooperation with a second shearing edge means movable relatively therepast to trim a conductor extending between said shearing edge means and said second shearing edge means, aligned wire locating means on said opposite sides, said aligned wire locating means having means for locating wires in parallel spaced apart relationship with intermediate portions of said wires extending across said opening whereby upon locating said wires in said aligned wire locating means and positioning said wire locating and trimming jig proximate to said contact terminals with said wires in alignment with said terminals, and upon moving a shearing and inserting means through said opening, said wires are trimmed and inserted into said terminals. 9. A wire locating and trimming jig as set forth in claim 8, the one side of said jig which is opposite to said at least one side being removably assembled to said jig thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig from between two parallel rows of conductors which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in an electrical connector housing. 

1. Apparatus for simultaneously trimming each of a plurality of conductors and inserting the trimmed conductors into the conductor-receiving portions of electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical device such as a multicontact electrical connector, said apparatus comprising: press means comprising a press ram and a press platen, said ram being reciprocable along a predetermined path towards and away from said platen, locating means on said platen for locating said electrical device in a predetermined position with said conductorreceiving portions of said contact terminals opposed to said ram, conductor jig means, said jig means having a central opening and having conductor-positioning means on each side of said central opening for poistioning said conductors in parallel spacedapart relationship at locations corresponding to the locations of said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals in said electrical device, said conductor jig means having fixed shearing edge means extending along ond side of said central opening, means on said jig means for positioning said jig means on a connector supported on said platen with said fixed shearing means in alignment with said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals, and shearing and inserting means on said ram, said shearing and inserting means comprising a movable shearing edge means cooperable with said fixed shearing edge means when said ram moves towards said platen to shear and trim said conductors, and insertion punch means on said ram for inserting said conductors, after trimming, into said conductor-receiving portions of said contact terminals whereby upon positioning said electrical device on said platen, placing said locating means on said electrical device, locating conductors in said jig means, and moving said ram towards said platen, said cOnductors are trimmed and are moved through said central opening and into said conductor receiving portions of said contact terminals.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, and locating means on said platen comprising a jig plate secured on said platen, said plate having a rib extending thereacross and having notches in said rib, said locating means being adapted to have mounted thereon an electrical connector having a radially extending flange which is adapted to be located against said rib and having spaced apart projecting portions which are adapted to be received in said notches.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said conductor jig means comprising a generally rectangular member having a central opening, one side of said member comprising a bar having spaced apart conductor-receiving notches therein, said notches having sharp edges at their inner ends, said notches constituting said positioning means on said one side of said jig means and said edges constituting said fixed shearing means.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said conductor jig means comprising a generally rectangular member having a central opening, one side of said member which has said conductor positioning means thereon being removably assembled to said jig means thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig means from between two parallel rows of conductors which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in said electrical device.
 5. Apparatus for simultaneously trimming each of a plurality of wires and inserting each of said wires into the wire-receiving slot in an electrical contact terminal contained in a multi-contact electrical connector, each of said contact terminals having a plate-like portions into which said slot extends, said plate-like portions being in side-by-side co-planar relationship to each other, said apparatus comprising: a press having a press ram and a press platen, said ram being reciprocable along a predetermined rectilinear path towards and away from said platen, connector locating means on said platen for locating said connector on said path and in a predetermined orientation with reference to said ram, said ram having a plurality of wire insertion punches thereon, each of said punches being in alignment with one of said slots in a terminal contained in a connector mounted on said platen, and said ram having movable shearing edge means extending beside said punches, and wire positioning jig and fixed shearing means comprising a generally rectangular frame having parallel sides and parallel ends and having oppositely directed faces, one of said faces constituting a wire-receiving face, said frame having a central opening defined by said sides and said ends, said wire receiving face having on each of said sides a plurality of spaced-apart wire-receiving recesses, said recesses being spaced apart by distances corresponding to the spacing between said wire receiving slots, one of said sides having fixed shearing edge means for cooperation with said shearing edge on said ram, and means for positioning said wire positioning jig on said platen and in at least partially surrounding relationship to a connector located in said predetermined position and with said fixed shearing edge means located for cooperation with said movable shearing edge means adjacent to the plane defined by said plate-like members, whereby, upon movement of said ram along said path towards said platen, said conductors are severed by said fixed and movable shearing means and are moved by said punches through said opening and into said wire-receiving slots in said contact terminals in a connector mounted on said platen.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said one side of said wire positioning jig and fixed shearing means comprising a bar having spaced-apart wire-receiving notches therein, said notches having sharp edges at their inner ends, said notches constituting said wire-receiving recesses and said edges constituting said fixed Shearing edge means.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, the side of said wire positioning jig and fixed shearing means which is opposite to said one side being removably assembled to said jig means thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig means from between two parallel rows of wires which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in said electrical device.
 8. A wire locating and trimming jig for locating a plurality of wires in parallel side-by-side relationship preparatory to trimming said wires and inserting said wires into the conductor-receiving portion of electrical contact terminals, said locating and trimming jig comprising: a frame member having a central opening and having two opposite wire-receiving sides, at least one of said sides constituting shearing edge means for cooperation with a second shearing edge means movable relatively therepast to trim a conductor extending between said shearing edge means and said second shearing edge means, aligned wire locating means on said opposite sides, said aligned wire locating means having means for locating wires in parallel spaced apart relationship with intermediate portions of said wires extending across said opening whereby upon locating said wires in said aligned wire locating means and positioning said wire locating and trimming jig proximate to said contact terminals with said wires in alignment with said terminals, and upon moving a shearing and inserting means through said opening, said wires are trimmed and inserted into said terminals.
 9. A wire locating and trimming jig as set forth in claim 8, the one side of said jig which is opposite to said at least one side being removably assembled to said jig thereby to permit removal of said conductor jig from between two parallel rows of conductors which have been connected to two parallel rows of contact terminals in an electrical connector housing. 